American Wood-sorrel Oxalis montana
Other Common Name(s):
Previously known as:
- Oxalis acetosella
- Oxalis acetosella ssp. montana
- Oxalis acetosella var. rhodantha
- Phonetic Spelling
- oks-AL-iss mon-TAY-nah
- This plant has low severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
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Oxalis montana, or Sourgrass, is a flowering perennial plant in the wood sorrel family. It is usually found growing in colonies in cool, rich, moist woods; especially hemlock and spruce-fir forests. It is a pretty and low growing, but it can be weedy in disturbed areas.
Sourgrass is a mounding plant with clover-like foliage and multiple flowers, with only one flower per stalk. The plant prefers moist soil and partial shade. The plant growth habit is a runner spreading indefinitely by rhizomes or stolons and the extensive root network helps it stabilize the soil. The leaves open and close in response to sunlight and the flower color ranges across the spectrum of white to pink depending on the elevation. At lower elevations the petals have stronger pink-purple veining. In addition to the showy blooms, the plant also has cleistogamous flowers that do not open, the purpose of these is to self-pollinate the plant. This plant has low toxicity and therefore edible in small amounts for humans and animals.
Diseases, Insects, and Other Plant Problems: No known diseases or insects problems.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Oxalis
- Species:
- montana
- Family:
- Oxalidaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- In small amounts, the leaves, flowers seeds, and tubers/roots can be eaten raw or cooked or the plant parts can be used to make lemon flavored drinks, tea, and salads. Use sparingly, because all parts of the plant have a low amount of toxicity (oxalic acid) if ingested. The quantity of oxalic acid will be reduced if the leaves are cooked.
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Division
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Eastern Canada and United States
- Distribution:
- Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Manitoba, central and western New-England, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, mountains of North Carolina and Tennessee.
- Wildlife Value:
- Attracts pollinators, provides wildlife cover and habitat, nesting, food source, and larval host.
- Play Value:
- Attractive Flowers
- Buffer
- Colorful
- Defines Paths
- Edibility:
- Small amounts of leaves, flowers, seeds, tubers/roots can be eaten raw are not dangerous they lend a sour taste to drinks and salads, hence the common name Sourwood.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 0 ft. 3 in. - 1 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 0 ft. 3 in. - 0 ft. 6 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Native Plant
- Perennial
- Poisonous
- Weed
- Wildflower
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Clumping
- Creeping
- Mounding
- Multi-stemmed
- Rounded
- Growth Rate:
- Slow
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Fine
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- High Organic Matter
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Available Space To Plant:
- Less than 12 inches
- NC Region:
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Green
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Summer
- Fruit Type:
- Capsule
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- Fruit a tiny erect rounded dry capsule with 5 sections that splits open when ripe to reveal 1 to 2 seeds per section.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Pink
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Solitary
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Long Bloom Season
- Long-lasting
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Radial
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Blooms May through July with two types of flowers: 1) Solitary, dainty, nodding flowers 1/2 to 3/4 on an inch across, 5-parted oblong-elliptic petals, radially symmetrical, white, lavender, or rose with deep pink veins and a spot of yellow at the base of the petals that are notched at the tip. 2) Late in the season flowers without petals appear on curved stems, remain at the base of the plant and do not open, they self-pollinate.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Smooth
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Long-lasting
- Showy
- Leaf Type:
- Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Rosulate
- Leaf Shape:
- Cordate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Length:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Width:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Description:
- Clover-like compound, basal leaves with brown hairs long-stalked (though shorter than flowers stalks) with 3 leaflets. Shamrock-shaped leaves with three inverted heart-shaped leaflets, each about a 1/2 inch wide; slightly sour taste, leaflets close at night.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Red/Burgundy
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Description:
- No stems as such. Rather, clumps of leaves grow to about 4 inches. Flower stems are green but reddish at the base.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Native Garden
- Attracts:
- Bees
- Butterflies
- Frogs
- Hummingbirds
- Moths
- Pollinators
- Small Mammals
- Songbirds
- Problems:
- Problem for Cats
- Problem for Children
- Problem for Dogs
- Problem for Horses
- Weedy
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Poisonous to Humans:
- Poison Severity:
- Low
- Poison Symptoms:
- The leaves contain oxalic acid that, taken in large amounts, can bind up the body's supply of calcium leading to nutritional deficiency. People with a tendency to rheumatism, arthritis, gout, kidney stones or hyperacidity should take especial caution since it can aggravate their condition. All parts of the plant have toxic potential, although the possibility of serious effects is usually limited to ingestion of large quantities and there have been no documented cases in humans. Consuming Oxalis species can produce colic in horses, and kidney failure is possible if significant amounts are eaten. Caution: large quantities may cause trembling, cramps, and staggering as in grazing animal
- Poison Toxic Principle:
- Soluble calcium oxylates
- Causes Contact Dermatitis:
- No
- Poison Part:
- Bark
- Flowers
- Fruits
- Leaves
- Roots
- Sap/Juice
- Seeds
- Stems
